Houthis say they reversed six ships after blockading Saudi Arabia

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Yemen's Houthi movement has declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, a move that has already affected international shipping, with six merchant ships changing course over the past day. The Saudi-led coalition has responded by announcing measures to protect commercial vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, while the Houthis deny closing the strait itself, saying restrictions apply only to Saudi ships.

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The announcement was made on July 20 by Yahya Saree, the Houthis' military spokesperson, who said on Telegram that the Yemeni Armed Forces were imposing a ban on maritime navigation for Saudi Arabia based on the 'a siege for a siege' formula, with the decision taking effect immediately. The statement reserved the right to pursue "an all-out escalation" in response to Riyadh's actions, and called on supporters to continue a general mobilization.

Within a day, the impact on shipping became apparent. A military source quoted by the rebel-controlled SABA news agency said that six vessels had turned back after warnings from the Houthis. International shipping companies received messages from the Houthis in Sanaa demanding they refrain from loading and unloading at Saudi ports, with warnings that carriers cooperating with the kingdom's ports would make their vessels legitimate targets, according to Reuters, as reported by TASS.

The Saudi-led coalition responded swiftly. On July 21, coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki said the coalition command had begun implementing measures to protect commercial vessels transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. He described Houthi threats as a clear violation of international law and acts of maritime piracy, and said they would be met with a firm and decisive response. He also characterized Houthi statements about closing Yemeni ports and airports as part of a disinformation campaign.

The Houthis subsequently denied that the Bab al-Mandeb Strait had been closed. Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdul Salam wrote on X that the strait remains open, with restrictions applying only to Saudi vessels. He framed the naval blockade as a response to Saudi Arabia's blockade of Yemen and its refusal to adopt a fair approach to resolving the situation in a way that guarantees the security, sovereignty and independence of the Yemeni people.

The Houthis later said they had launched missile and drone strikes on two Saudi oil tankers for violating the naval blockade. Saudi authorities confirmed that the tanker Encelia had been struck, adding that all crew members were safe.

Key Claims

• The Houthis declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia on July 20, based on the 'a siege for a siege' formula, according to military spokesperson Yahya Saree.
• Six merchant ships changed course over the past day after Houthi warnings, as reported by the rebel-controlled SABA news agency.
• International shipping companies received messages from the Houthis demanding they refrain from loading and unloading at Saudi ports, according to Reuters as cited by TASS.
• The Saudi-led coalition announced measures to protect commercial vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and threatened decisive action against Houthi threats, per coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki.
• The Houthis denied closing the Bab al-Mandab Strait, saying restrictions apply only to Saudi vessels, according to Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdul Salam.
• The Houthis claimed missile and drone strikes on two Saudi oil tankers; Saudi authorities confirmed the tanker Encelia was struck and all crew members were safe.